The US attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday
has weighed heavily on Lebanon’s domestic political landscape, with concerns
about the repercussions of this adventurous aggression, especially as the US
surveillance den (embassy) in Beirut announced that the State Department had
ordered the departure of family members and non-essential government employees
from Lebanon.
“The US Department of State has ordered the departure
of family members and non-essential US government employees from Lebanon due to
the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the region,” the embassy
said in its announcement.
With this dubious announcement, the surveillance den (or the
US offensive base in Awkar, as the Lebanese like to call it) has clearly raised
American concerns about legitimate reactions against its presence, whether in
Lebanon or at its bases spread along the Persian Gulf coast, the United States
in particular, and the West in general.
The embassy’s equivocal statement appeared to be part of
precautionary measures, especially since similar measures has also been taken
at its embassies in Qatar and the UAE.
It is worth noting that even before the September 2024
aggression against Lebanon (which is still continuing sporadically), Western
embassies allied with the United States have kept only essential staff at their
headquarters.
Besides, they have restricted diplomats from bringing their
families, and warned them against visiting certain Lebanese regions (especially
pro–Resistance strongholds). These embassies are continuously monitoring
developments and acting accordingly.
Diplomatic sources have confirmed that the situation in
Lebanon—so far—is not a source of concern, as coordination between Lebanese
parties and the international community is “reassuring” following a
confirmation that Lebanon is “not interested in escalation.”
Amidst
anticipation of the potential repercussions of the US aggression against Iran’s
peaceful nuclear facilities, President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
are in continuous consultations to “spare” Lebanon from the repercussions of
the Iranian-American escalation.
In a statement, President Aoun said, “The recent escalation
of Israeli-Iranian confrontations and the rapid developments accompanying them,
particularly the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, are likely to raise
fears of an escalation of tensions that could threaten security and stability
in more than one region and country.”
He noted that this “calls for restraint and the launch of
constructive and serious negotiations to restore stability to the countries of
the region and avoid further killing and destruction.”
In the midst of this escalation, which could last for a long
time, Aoun claimed that “Lebanon—its leadership, parties, and people—realizes
today, more than ever, that it has paid a heavy price for the wars that erupted
on its soil and in the region.”
Aoun alleged, “Lebanon is unwilling to pay more, and there
is no national interest in doing so, especially since the cost of these wars
was and will be greater than its ability to afford.”
Prime Minister Salam announced that he and Aoun agreed “to
work together to spare Lebanon from the repercussions of these conditions,
prioritize the supreme national interests, and preserve unity and national
solidarity.”
For its part, Hezbollah condemned “The barbaric, treacherous
American aggression against the peaceful nuclear facilities of the Islamic
Republic of Iran, which reveals the true face of the United States of America
as the greatest threat to regional and international security and stability.”
Hezbollah affirmed, “The American administration sought,
through this criminal aggression, to achieve what the Zionist entity failed to
accomplish.”
Despite the President and Prime Minister’s condemnation of
the aggression and their expression of Lebanon’s full solidarity with Iran,
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants (Lebanese Forces party minister)
Youssef Rajai once again violated his diplomatic duties!
Rajai not only did not condemn the aggression, but also did
not even attend the emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference
(OIC) held Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss the aggression against Iran.
Lebanon was represented by its ambassador to Ankara, Ghassan
al-Moallem.
Ironically, the foreign minister of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
regime, Asaad al-Sheibani, participated, despite his government’s hostility
toward Iran.
The OIC issued a statement describing the Israeli attacks as
“a clear violation of international law and a threat to the security of the
region.”
